Canvas separator



April 28, 1936. R. M. CRAMPTON CANVAS SEPAIBATOR Original Filed Dec. 16, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES CANVAS SEPARATOR Rollin M. Crampton, New York, N. Y.,- assignor to Lawrence Wilbur, North Caldwell, N. J.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No.

702,831, December 16, 1933.

This application May 6, 1935, Serial No. 20,111

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for use in holding and carrying wet canvases. This application is a substitute for abandoned application Serial #702,831.

All artists have occasion, often frequently, to transport wet canvases or pastel drawings. In doing so, it is customary to protect the canvas or drawing by positioning a dry canvas in front of the wet or colored surface, and as close as possible thereto. Some means is required to hold the two canvases together so that they may be easily carried, while at the same time preventing them from contacting or rubbing and thus injuring the wet or colored surface. I-Ieretofore, various means have been used for this purpose, but they are not altogether satisfactory, either because they damage the canvases by making holes in them, as in the case of the canvas tack which has a head separated by two shanks the points of which respectively engage the opposing canvases, or because they comprise bulky frames which are relatively expensive.

The object of my invention'is to provide a means for holding two canvases in opposed but separated position, which will not injure the canvas, and at the same time will be extremely simple and easy to apply and very inexpensive.

While, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed herein one form of my invention, other, modified forms may be used, and the invention is to be limited only by the appended claim. My device is described herein as a single unitary means. In many cases, however, especially where the canvases are of substantial size, it is desirable to use a set of four of my devices, applying one to each of the four sides of the canvases, and I contemplate supplying my devices in sets of four.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 2 showing the rear of one of the canvas frames;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of my devices.

My device comprises a unitary member, formed of any suitable material such as thin flexible, or spring metal, which is approximately rectangular in shape and having three closed sides H), H

and I2, and one partially closed side comprising the ends I3a and 131) which are bent toward one another. The side i l I provide, intermediate its ends, with an inwardly extending projection [4. The opposing ends Ba and l 3b are intended to be spread apart while the device is slipped over the frames on two opposing canvases and the inwardly extending, V-shaped projection I4 is positioned intermediate the faces of the two opposing canvases. If it is found desirable to increase the natural tendency of the ends i311 and B1) to spring back into position after being separated, the sides Ill and [2 may be slightly inclined toward one another initially. The thumb and finger hold I5 is provided to facilitate springing the ends l3a and l3b apart when slipping the device over two opposed canvas frames. The end member I312 is turned up at its extremity IS in order to make a more positive engagement with the frame. I have found that my device may be more readily adjusted on the frame if the bent-up extremity I6 is bent up at an angle of less than 90 degrees, since this will facilitate the end member |3b slipping into place. Bending up the extremity 16 of the end member l3b will not cause the canvas to bulge outwardly due to the fact that canvas frames are ordinarily bevelled from the outer edge to the inner, thereby leaving a space between the frame and the canvas at the inner edge of the frame, which permits the surface of the canvas to be yielding and non-rigid even adjacent its extremities.

My device is applied to two opposing canvases in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2. The end l3a is first slipped over the edge of one of the frames and by means of the finger and thumb hold IS the device is sprung open suficiently to allow the end members I30; and H31) to engage the inner edges of the respective opposing frames. As illustrated in Fig. 2, one of my devices is applied to each of the four sides of the opposed canvases, thereby holding them rigidly in position so that they may be readily held and carried together and, at the same time, preventing them, because of the V-shaped projection M, from coming into con tact with one another.

The keys 3 shown in Fig. 1 are ordinarily provided to permit a canvas frame to be adjusted in size to take up any slack in the canvas. Since the frame per se forms no part of my invention, I have not illustrated the keys 3, other than as they are suggested in Fig. 1.

What I claim is:

A means for holding a plurality of canvases supported on frames in opposed relation and at the same time preventing the opposed surfaces from contacting with one another comprising a spring metal member having a central portion adapted to extend inwardly between the surfaces of said canvases, and two end portions one of which extends over the outer edge of one of said canvas supporting frames and down its uncovered said frame, one of said end portions having a side and engages its inner edge, the other end projection by which said device may be sprung portion extending over the upper edge of the other outwardly facilitating the release of the frames of said supporting frames and down its uncovered 7 from said spring metal member.

side and across its inner edge and isbent upwardly under the canvas of the covered side of s ROLLIN M. CRAMPTON. 

